Georgian PM: Gov’t to take “dignified position”, protect “national interests to the end”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday told Rustavi 2 TV channel that his Government should take a “dignified position” and “protect national interests to the end” in its dealing with international partners and the foreign states.

Kobakhidze claimed the country’s Government had “protected national interests” back in 2022 against alleged efforts to see a “second front” opened in Georgia amid the ongoing Russian military aggression in Ukraine, and noted the alleged demands had been made “publicly” by non-governmental organisations and the domestic “radical” opposition.

Two specific demands were publicly made, one of which was the imposition of sanctions [on Russia]. Do you recall outrage following the statement of [former PM] Irakli Gharibashvili, when he said we would not join the sanctions? There was an absolutely unhealthy, anti-Government reaction, including from the radical opposition [and] NGOs”, he said.

The second demand was to send volunteers to Ukraine with official approval from the Government. If the first decision meant the downfall of the economy and a step towards escalation, which ultimately led us to the second front, the second demand [...] directly meant the involvement of Georgia in the military conflict”, he added.

The PM cited Ukraine's 2022 recall of its Ambassador to Georgia under “two pretexts” for the non-imposition of sanctions and non-sending of volunteers to claim there was “not just a request of internal entities” but a “very large coordination against Georgia” that had involved the Ukrainian Government.

The Government head said his office had “very high hopes” the war in Ukraine would end “within a maximum of one year”, and noted ending of the war “as soon as possible is important not only for Ukraine, but also for the Black Sea region as a whole”.

Theoretically, if we imagine the collective United National Movement [opposition] comes into power, for example by November, after the [parliamentary] elections, I guarantee you [that] if not within two, three and four months [...] Georgia will become the second front [of the war], I guarantee this based on the information I have”, he claimed.

The NGOs had two revolution attempts and under such circumstances, if they tell you their revolution attempts should not even be transparent, it is certainly a very big lie and the public should make an assessment about it”, he added.

The PM also claimed representatives of the domestic “radical” opposition had changed their positions with regards to Georgia imposing sanctions on Russia and now opposed it, while adding “not a single representative” from the opposition or NGOs had condemned the decision of the Ukrainian authorities on recalling their Ambassador.

They were directly involved in the agitation, which included [Georgia] joining the [international] sanctions, collapsing the economy of our country, sending volunteers to Ukraine, involving the country in the military conflict, opening a second front in Georgia”, he claimed.

Kobakhidze added the “direct agitation in favour of the second front” was being carried out by NGOs that were “directly funded from abroad” with their finances lacking transparency “all these years”.